Ben arrives at the same time as our second coffee.
“Hey,” he remarks as he walks in and sits on the lounge.
“What are you doing here? I want you with Natasha,” Joshua murmurs without his eyes leaving the statements.
“Yeah, well she’s having a cow over you being here without me,” Ben snaps. “It’s not worth the drama.”
Joshua frowns as he looks up. “What do you mean?”
Ben shakes his head. “She’s going all fucking crazy.” He runs a hand over his forehead in frustration and I smile. Somehow I think Ben was glad to escape Natasha this morning.
I smile broadly. “What’s my girl doing?” I ask.
“She’s my girl,” Joshua murmurs as he keeps reading.
“She started demanding to see the guard roster for Joshua and then she started stomping around the house like a mad woman and screaming at the girls to get their stuff because they were keeping me from guarding you.”
I smile as I imagine the scenario.
“She rang Max and asked him to come back immediately.”
Joshua’s eyes flick up immediately. “She did what?” he snaps.
“You heard me. She rang Max and asked him to come back so I could guard you full time.”
Joshua shakes his head.
“Smart girl.” I nod.
“And then she started having a hissy fit at Cameron and demanding that he has his own guard too, which he refused, and then the two of them got into a screaming match. Abbie told Natasha to calm down and shut the fuck up.” Ben shakes his head at the dramatics and I laugh.
“Oh and I forgot the best part. She marched down to the guards’ office and demanded answers as to how someone got to the power box without being noticed and she put them all on warning of being fired.”
I bite my lip to stifle my smile. “Did I tell you that I love that girl?” I reply.
Joshua rolls his eyes. “Every day so shut up.” He then throws the bank statements onto the table and stands and puts his hands into his pockets. “We need to trace where that money is going.”
I nod. “Done.”
He frowns at me in question. “Well?”
“It’s going into the account of someone named James Brennan,” I answer.
Joshua closes his eyes and drops his head.
Ben and I exchange looks. I told Ben yesterday what was going on. “Do you know that person?” I ask.
Joshua’s furious eyes meet mine and he runs his tongue over his top front teeth for the second time today.
“James Brennan,” he repeats as he raises his eyebrows.
I frown. “Yes.”
“James fucking Brennan!” he yells.
Ben and I exchange looks again. “Who is that?” I ask.
With a scarily cold voice Joshua replies. “James Brennan is my father’s best friend.”
Joshua
My furious eyes meet Adrian’s and he frowns. “I don’t get it,” he murmurs.
I put my hands on my head as I think. Why would my mother be transferring money to my father’s friend’s account unless… Fuck. I close my eyes in regret.
“What?” Adrian snaps.
“He’s blackmailing her,” I whisper.
“Who?” Adrian frowns. “Go back. I’m confused. What you are talking about?” I snatch the statements from the desk and storm into my office with Adrian and Ben hot on my heels.
“Leave me alone please,” I snap as I drop into my seat and spin in my chair to turn my computer on.
Ben nods and leaves the room immediately but unfortunately Adrian has never been in the army and has absolutely no regard for my requests. He stands next to my desk with his hands on his hips. “You think he’s blackmailing her?” he asks.
I nod as I bite my bottom lip in thought.
“What about?” he frowns.
I shake my head. “Think about it.”
Adrian leans on my desk as he thinks and he shrugs.
“He has something on her and she is paying him to be quiet,” I sneer.
His eyes widen as he works it out.
I’m furious. I dial Natasha’s number. “Hi baby,” she answers. “You ok?”
I shake my head as I try to calm my anger before I speak to her. “Hi presh. I have to ask you something.”
“Ahuh,” she says.
“When my mother told you she had an affair did she tell you anything about who it was with?”
She goes silent.
“Did you hear me?” I reply.
“Um, Josh, does it really matter?” she murmurs.
“It does,” I snap.
She blows out a deep breath. “She said it was with a family friend, Josh.”
I close my eyes as bile rises from my stomach. Adrian walks around in front of me to see what I am doing and I angrily point to the door. “Get out Murph!” I mouth.
His face drops in disappointment and he quietly leaves the room.
“Babe, I have to go,” I reply.
“Josh, what’s going on?” Natasha asks.
“Nothing, I will talk to you tonight,” I reply.
“Don’t leave your office without your guards, ok?” she asserts.
“Natasha, not fucking now!” I snap. God, I’m not in the mood for this shit.
“Jesus, you’re a grouch. See you tonight.” She hangs up.